Deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s DUI Enforcement Team will be deploying this weekend to stop and arrest alcohol and drug-impaired drivers as part of the Department’s ongoing traffic safety campaign. DUI Saturation Patrols will deploy on Friday, August 19 between the hours of 7 p.m. and 3 a.m. in the cities of Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods and Aliso Viejo.

Over the course of the past three years, DUI collisions have claimed 21 lives and resulted in 497 injury crashes harming our friends and neighbors. In addition to the pain and suffering of those immediately affected, a DUI can impact the economy. Conservatively, a fatality has a $1.4 million impact, an injury $70,000, and a crash that only damages property averages nearly $9,000. Continue reading→

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man and woman are scheduled to be arraigned Monday for planting weapons and methamphetamine inside the truck bed of a woman’s vehicle and making false reports to law enforcement. Jennifer Michele Beale, 37, and Kevin Brown, 42, both of Laguna Hills, are each charged with one felony count of conspiracy to commit a crime, one felony count of false imprisonment by menace/violence/fraud/deceit, one misdemeanor count of false report of emergency, and one misdemeanor count of altering evidence. Brown faces a sentencing enhancement for a prior prison conviction in Los Angeles County for second degree burglary in 2010. If convicted, Beale faces a maximum sentence of three years in state prison and Brown faces a maximum sentence of four years in state prison. They are being held on $50,000 bail and are scheduled to be arraigned Monday, April 18, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. Continue reading→

SANTA ANA, CA (February 5, 2016) – Deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s DUI Task Force will be deploying this weekend to stop and arrest alcohol and drug-impaired drivers in the department’s ongoing traffic safety campaign. DUI Saturation Patrols will deploy on Friday, February 5th at 7:00 p.m. and continue until Saturday, February 6th at 3:00 a.m. in the cities of Laguna Woods, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills and Aliso Viejo.

“This is a ‘Zero Tolerance’ crackdown so Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over!” said Deputy Manuel Cruz from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Traffic Bureau. Continue reading→

ALISO VIEJO, Calif. (January 27, 2016) – On Wednesday, January 27, 2016, a deputy assigned to the Southwest Operations Division’s Aliso Viejo Station determined he was missing his AR-15 patrol rifle. The deputy set the rifle, inside its case, on the trunk of his vehicle and inadvertently drove away. Numerous resources including reserve deputies, bloodhounds and investigative personnel immediately began a search of the area in and around the station as well as retracing the streets he drove on.

On the evening of Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at approximately 7 p.m., the deputy was preparing his equipment to go in service for his assigned shift. At some point, he placed the rifle on the trunk of the patrol vehicle; however, became distracted and drove off before securing it in his vehicle. At approximately 3:15 a.m., the deputy realized the rifle was unaccounted for and an immediately search began. Continue reading→

SANTA ANA, Calif. (October 16, 2015) – Deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s DUI Task Force will be deploying this weekend to stop and arrest alcohol and drug-impaired drivers in the department’s ongoing traffic safety campaign. DUI Saturation Patrols will deploy on Friday, October 16th at 7:00 p.m. and continue until Saturday, October 17th at 3:00 a.m. in the cities of Aliso Viejo, Laguna Woods, Laguna Niguel and Laguna Hills.

“This is a ‘Zero Tolerance’ crackdown so Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over!” said Deputy Manuel Cruz from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Traffic Bureau. Continue reading→

Irvine, CA – The Irvine Police Department (IPD) has arrested a man for attempted robbery at a CVS Pharmacy. The suspect has been identified as Michael John Morton, 38, of Laguna Hills.

At approximately 9:45 a.m. today, Sept. 14, 2015, Morton entered the CVS Pharmacy at Alton Parkway and Jeffrey Road. The suspect entered the store armed with a knife and attempting to conceal his identity with a hood or beanie. He went to the pharmacy area and stood near the counter, but did not make any verbal demands. Continue reading→

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. (September 4, 2015) – On Thursday, September 3, 2015, Orange County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Nicholas Daniel Otte, 21, Laguna Hills, following a robbery at the Bank Of America located at 30162 Crown Valley Parkway. Otte was arrested as he exited the bank, attempting to blend in with customers who were also exiting.

At approximately 5:11 p.m. deputies responded to a robbery in progress at the Bank of America. The first responding deputies arrived in 92 seconds and immediately began establishing a perimeter around the bank. Additional information, a description from bank employees and excellent observation skills by deputies resulted in Otte being detained as he exited the bank, attempting to leave the area on foot. Continue reading→

LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. – (July 31, 2015) – On Friday, July 31, 2015 at approximately 1:10 a.m., Jenny Ann Stewart, 38, Laguna Woods, was arrested following a vehicle pursuit and deputy-involved shooting. Stewart was taken into custody in a parking lot adjacent to El Toro Road, east of Paseo De Valencia.

On Thursday, July 30, 2015 at approximately 4:52 p.m., deputies were dispatched to the Valvoline Oil Store at El Toro Road and Moulton Parkway reference an intoxicated female in a blue, Toyota SUV. A records check of the license plate indicated the vehicle was recently reported stolen out of the city of Laguna Beach. Deputies arrived as the Toyota SUV, driven by Stewart, exited the parking lot onto Moulton Parkway. A felony traffic stop was initiated in the area of Moulton Parkway and Via Campo Verde in the city of Laguna Woods. During the traffic stop, Stewart reversed her vehicle towards the deputy and a deputy-involved shooting occurred. Continue reading→

Alonso was reported missing by her family after she was last seen leaving her boyfriend’s house in the city of Irvine. Orange County Sheriff’s Department investigators have been actively pursuing leads and information since the report of Alonso’s disappearance. Continue reading→